You’re looking to modify, or “zhng”, your car with some awesome-looking mods.
Giving your car its own character is important, so you look for the most outstanding modifications.
However in Singapore, there are a list of rules of what you can and cannot do to your car.
Here are the top five modifications that you are not allowed to make to your car, as specified by the Land Transport Authority (LTA):
1. Attaching bull bars
Bull bars, or crash bars, are not allowed in Singapore, where the risk of collision with an animal is low.
LTA’s explanation for disallowing such modifications is that they can actually worsen injuries to pedestrians in an accident.
Also, wild animals on Singapore’s roads are a rare occurrence, so such devices have no place here.
2. Decorative lamps
Undercarriage lighting, though cool, is disallowed.
Decorative lights, be they undercarriage neon lights, vehicle-interior neon lights or wiper-washer LEDs are strictly disallowed.
Those lights “may distract and disorient other road users”.
For those of you with dreams of modifying your car to look like one in The Fast and Furious, well, that’s not happening.
3. Aftermarket high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps
Aftermarket high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights are disallowed.
These are disallowed because LTA deems them to “cause unwanted glare”.
That’s a fair point: many drivers already have their high beams accidentally on, which blinds drivers at night.
HID headlamps are extremely powerful, and not necessary on Singapore’s well-lit streets.
“Vehicles should only be equipped with factory-fitted HID lamps as they are designed to meet international standards,” LTA says.
4. Rear tow hooks
Rear tow hook
Ever realised why you don’t see cars lugging trailers about in Singapore?
That’s because tow hooks are disallowed, as they have sharp and hard surfaces that could aggravate injuries in a collision.
5. Nitrous oxide kits (NOS)
These are a definite no-no here.
Why not, you ask. That’s because they could “adversely affect” the engines safety and exhaust emissions.
